Tethered-wing traction system comprising a device for gripping folding lines

Abstract

Tethered-wing traction system including: a traction wing; a base platform; a mooring mast; a plurality of folding lines; a folding carriage adapted to slide along the mooring mast; an input device (22) which is attached to the leading edge of the traction wing and which has a hooking arm (25) provided with a hooking stem (27A, 27B, 27C), one of the folding lines projecting into the extension of the hooking stem (27A, 27B, 27C); the folding carriage having a gripping hook which is movable between a retracted position and a gripping position in which the gripping hook surrounds the hooking stem (27A, 27B, 27C).

1 . A tethered-wing traction system having:
 a traction wing ( 5 ) to generate a traction force under the effect of the wind, the traction wing ( 5 ) having a leading edge ( 16 ) and a trailing edge ( 17 );   a base platform ( 3 ) to the traction wing ( 5 ) via a traction line ( 8 ), the traction wing ( 5 ) is deployed and folded in relation to the base platform ( 3 );   a mooring mast ( 4 ) for the traction wing ( 5 ) disposed on the base platform ( 3 );   multiple folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) each having an end fixed to the leading edge ( 16 ) of the traction wing ( 5 ), the ends being spaced apart from one another along the leading edge ( 16 );   a folding carriage ( 12 C,  12 D,  12 E) to slide along the mooring mast ( 4 );   a capturing device ( 22 ) attached to the leading edge ( 16 ) of the traction wing ( 5 ) and has a fastening arm ( 25 ) provided with a fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C), one of the folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) projecting in the continuation of the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C); the folding carriage ( 12 C,  12 D,  12 E) having a capturing hook ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C) that is movable between a retracted position and a capturing position, in which the capturing hook ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C) surrounds the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C).   
     
     
         2 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a mooring line ( 20 ) connecting the capturing device ( 22 ) to the base platform ( 3 ). 
     
     
         3 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the capturing device ( 22 ) is attached to a median zone ( 15 ) of the leading edge ( 16 );   each one of the folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) extend between the median zone ( 15 ) and a lateral portion ( 19 ) of the leading edge ( 16 );   the folding line ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) which projects from the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) is connected by its opposite end to one of the lateral portions ( 19 ).   
     
     
         4 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the capturing device ( 22 ) has a body ( 24 ) on which the fastening arm ( 25 ) is mounted to pivot between a flight position and a fastening position, in which the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) is disposed vertically. 
     
     
         5 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) has a tube through which the folding line ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) passes, an end of the folding line ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) is connected to the fastening arm ( 25 ). 
     
     
         6 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 2 :
 a guide line ( 9 ) connecting the capturing device ( 22 ) to the flying trajectory control device ( 7 );   a shuttle ( 14 ) that slides along the guide line ( 9 ), the shuttle ( 14 ) having a guiding device ( 63 ) through which the mooring line ( 20 ) passes.   
     
     
         7 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the capturing device ( 22 ) has a receiving portion ( 36 ) for the shuttle ( 14 ), the shuttle ( 14 ) moves between a sliding configuration, in which the shuttle slides along the guide line ( 9 ), and the mooring configuration, in which the shuttle ( 14 ) is disposed in the receiving portion ( 36 ). 
     
     
         8 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 7  when dependents on  claim 4 , wherein the capturing device ( 22 ) has a lever ( 28 ) for controlling the pivoting of the fastening arm ( 25 ) toward the fastening position, the lever ( 28 ) actuates the shuttle ( 14 ) when reaches its mooring configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a mooring carriage ( 12 B) designed to slide along the mooring mast ( 4 ), the mooring carriage ( 12 B) having an interlocking interface ( 35 ) for the capturing device ( 22 ). 
     
     
         10 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the mooring carriage ( 12 B) has an immobilizing device to immobilize the capturing device ( 22 ) against the interlocking interface ( 35 ). 
     
     
         11 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the immobilizing device have an immobilizing hook ( 48 ,  49 ) which is movable between a retracted position and an immobilizing position, in which the immobilizing hook ( 48 ,  49 ) locks the fastening arm ( 25 ) against the interlocking interface ( 35 ). 
     
     
         12 . The traction system as claimed in either of  claim 10  when they are dependent on  claim 7 , wherein the shuttle ( 14 ) has a convex shape suitable for being received in a concave shape of the interlocking interface ( 35 ) when the shuttle ( 14 ) is in the mooring configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the shuttle ( 14 ) has an oblong shape. 
     
     
         14 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) are arranged in pairs, the folding lines of a pair connecting the capturing device ( 22 ) to points on the leading edge ( 16 ) that are symmetrically on either side of the capturing device ( 22 );   the capturing device has two fastening arms ( 25 ) each provided with as many fastening rods ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) as there are pairs of folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C).   
     
     
         15 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the fastening rods ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) are disposed in stepped fashion. 
     
     
         16 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 14 , further including as many folding carriages ( 12 C,  12 D,  12 E) as pairs of folding lines ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C), each folding carriage ( 10 A,  10 B,  10 C) having a pair of capturing hooks ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C) which are movable between a retracted position and a capturing position, in which the capturing hooks ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C) of a pair surround the fastening rods ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) of the two fastening arms ( 25 ). 
     
     
         17 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the traction wing ( 5 ) has a furling line ( 13 ) designed to furl the traction wing ( 5 );   the capturing device ( 22 ) has a furling rod ( 42 ), the furling line ( 13 ) projecting in the continuation of the furling rod ( 42 );   the traction system has a furling carriage ( 12 A) designed to slide along the mooring mast ( 4 ), the furling carriage ( 12 A) having a furling hook ( 47 ) which is movable between a retracted position and a capturing position, in which the furling hook ( 47 ) surrounds the furling rod ( 42 ).   
     
     
         18 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the capturing device ( 22 ) has a clamping device ( 57 ) to take up a clamping position in which the mooring line ( 20 ) is kept fixed in place on the capturing device ( 22 ), and designed to take up a release position in which the mooring line ( 20 ) slides freely in relation to the capturing device ( 20 ). 
     
     
         19 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the mooring line ( 20 ) is continued beyond the capturing device ( 22 ) by an additional portion ( 62 ) attached to the traction wing ( 5 ), the mooring line ( 20 ) being designed to perform an additional action on the form of the traction wing ( 5 ) when the clamping device ( 57 ) is in the release position. 
     
     
         20 . The traction system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the capturing hook ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C) is controlled by a mechanism actuated by another carriage designed to slide along the mooring mast ( 4 ). 
     
     
         21 . A process for deploying or folding the traction wing of a traction system as claimed  claim 1 , step of:
 immobilizing the capturing device ( 22 ) in relation to the folding carriage ( 12 C,  12 D,  12 E) in a position in which the fastening rod ( 27 A,  27 B,  27 C) faces the capturing hook ( 46 A,  46 B,  46 C).